


Murder in The Kitchen

by HuiLian



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Dick is a good big brother, Fluff, Gen, as requested
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 19:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13255164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuiLian/pseuds/HuiLian
Summary: The crashes came from the kitchen, which already resembled a war zone. Silverware, pieces of glass, a whisker, and even a baking pan was scattered on the floor. And in the middle of it, were Tim and Damian





	Murder in The Kitchen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [renecdote](https://archiveofourown.org/users/renecdote/gifts).



> : A batfam-christmas-stocking gift for tantalum-cobalt. I know it’s not angst, but I hope you like it!

 

Dick didn't think anything about it when he heard the first crash. Things crashed fairly frequently in the Manor, it was not that big of a deal. Then he heard the second crash. And then the third.   
  
By the fourth crash, Dick was starting to get anxious about what was happening. It didn't help that Alfred was out doing errands in the city. Alfred could always diffuse a situation before it got too much. Even with Jason. Maybe especially with Jason.   
  
Bruce was downstairs, working on a case. It would literally take a city wide emergency to get him out of the Cave in that mode. So, it fell into Dick to be the adult. (He hated being the adult. It sucks.)  
  
With a deep sigh, Dick stood up from his comfortable spot on his bed and started his search for the source of the crashes.   
  
He swept the bedrooms first, seeing as it was closest from his room. When he found nothing, he started searching the rest of the Manor.  
  
While he was searching, he heard another crash. And another. And another. The crashes were getting closer to each other, and that made Dick even more anxious. He was not worried about the Manor being robbed, or even a kidnapper. Everybody inside the Manor was highly trained and could win any potential fight. What's more, the Manor security system was extremely secure. Nobody could get in. No, Dick was more worried about the residents inside the Manor fighting each other.   
  
He was correct. The crashes came from the kitchen, which already resembled a war zone. Silverware, pieces of glass, a whisker, and even a baking pan was scattered on the floor. And in the middle of it, were Tim and Damian.   
  
Dick's first thought was that the two of them were fighting again. The two of them hadn't tried to kill each other for a while now, but they still had their disagreements. More often than not, those disagreements turned into fights.   
  
“You have five seconds to explain, or I'm calling Alfred,” Dick threatened. It _was_ Alfred's kitchen they were wrecking. And normally, a single look from Alfred was all that was needed for the two of them to cease the fighting and apologize, although half-heartedly, to each other.   
  
“Please don't call Alfred," Tim said.  
  
Damian scowled at Dick, but said nothing.   
  
“Well, then someone explain to me what is going on here.”  
  
Tim and Damian glanced at each other, then at Dick. They didn't seem inclined to tell Dick what was going on. That just won't do.   
  
“Hey! Tell me what's going on, or I'm really going to call Alfred.” Dick pulled his phone from this pocket to emphasize the point.   
  
“We were trying to bake Alfred a cake," Tim said quickly.   
  
“A cake? And why do the kitchen looked like someone committed murder in it?”  
  
“Because Drake is an imbecile who cannot bake.”  
  
“Like you can.”  
  
“Enough!” Dick said. The two of them stopped their bickering long enough to look at him. “So this is all because you tried to bake a cake for Alfred? Why do you want to bake him a cake anyway?”  
  
Both Tim and Damian looked lost at that question. They turned to each other seemingly seeking answers from the other one.   
  
“I….,” Tim began, “we thought that we could do something nice for him, for a change.” He shrugged his shoulders then hunched in on himself. “He was always looking out for us. It's time we do it for him.”  
  
“You wanted to do that. You simply roped me in,” Damian said.   
  
“Shut up, Damian," Tim said. “Besides, it's Christmas.” He looked up at Dick. “What better time to do it?”  
  
Dick was stunned. Instead of fighting, Tim and Damian has worked together to give some joy to Alfred. His baby brothers really were growing up.   
  
“Awwww!” Dick smiled. “That's so nice, Tim. You too, Damian. Can I join in?”  
  
“Tt. You can't be worse than Drake, Grayson.”  
  
Tim simply shrugged and opened his hands.   
  
“Well, where were you in the recipe before I barged in?”  
  
Tim bit his lips. “Um…. We haven't gotten to the recipe yet. We were just pulling out the tools and ingredients.”  
  
“Okay,” Dick said carefully. “What recipe are you following?”  
  
Tim visibly winced. “We…, we actually haven't had a recipe yet.”  
  
Dick sighed. Of course they couldn't make this easy for him. “Okay, I'm so not qualified for this." He paused, then. “I'm going to call Jason.”  
  
***  
  
“You were doing what?!?” Jason shouted.   
  
“Look, I know you don't want to be here, but this is for Alfred. I can't bake, and by the looks of it, they can't either,” Dick said.   
  
“Hey!” Both Tim and Damian exclaimed at the same time.   
  
“You can't, okay? The kitchen is proof.” Dick gestured around the kitchen to further prove his point. “We don't want to ruin this. So, do you want to help us, or let poor Alfie eat a disaster of a cake?"  
  
Jason glared daggers at Dick, and then some to Tim and Damian. Then he sighed, and said, "All right. For Alfred. Can't let him eat your pathetic attempt at baking.”  
  
Dick cheered on the inside. Out of all of them, Jason was by far the best cook. And baker.   
  
“Do exactly as I say," Jason growled, "or you're out."  
  
***  
  
All things considered, Dick would say that the baking went well. They got the cake done, and the Manor was still standing. So, that's a plus.   
  
What's not a plus was the state of the kitchen. Flour was everywhere, a remnant from the war they had waged while making the batter. Dick was pretty sure he had flour all over his face and hair. There were also silverwares and baking trays and things Dick couldn't even identify laying on the floor. And icing. God, the icing were everywhere.   
  
Even worse, Alfred had come home before they had the chance to clean up the kitchen. Now, they were under the scrutiny of Alfred's disappointed look and damn if that didn't make Dick feel guilty.   
  
The four of them huddled together, all feeling ashamed of themselves. Jason broke first.   
  
“I'm, no, we're sorry for the kitchen, Alf.”  
  
Alfred shook his head, giving of the sense of disappointment with just a simple gesture. “May I ask what you were doing, young masters?”  
  
“We were trying to bake a cake,” Tim said.  
  
“And destroy the Manor?” Alfred asked.  
“That wasn't part of the plan," Dick said. “We managed to get the cake done, though. Do you want to try it, Alfred?”  
  
Alfred watched each and every single one of them grow up. He would knew the offer as what it was. He would. Otherwise, they thrashed the Manor's kitchen for nothing. Dick cringed just thinking about it.   
  
Then, slowly, Alfred smiled. “I would be delighted to. Whose idea was this?”  
  
“Mine!” Damian was quick to respond.   
  
“No, you brat. I asked you whether you want to do this or not! It was my idea!" Tim shot back.   
  
“Neither one of you would manage to bake this cake if it weren't for me, so I'm the one who should take credit for it!” Jason said.   
  
“Boys!” Dick shouted. Sometimes wrangling his little brothers were akin to getting the villains of Gotham in line. “Can you let Alfred eat in peace?”  
  
Alfred chuckled. “I would like that very much, Master Dick.” He took the cake from the top of the counter, sliced it neatly, and placed it on a clean plate he seemed to have acquired from nowhere. “You would clean up the kitchen, I presume?”  
  
The four of them sighed as one. “Yes, Alfred.”  
  
“Delightful. Of course, after the kitchen is clean, all of you would be welcome to join me.” He smiled again, the prim and proper butler mask cracking just a little. “Thank you.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> check out my tumblr (huilian.tumblr.com)


End file.
